NAV BAR WCA

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Changing the Face of Sierra Leonean Music: Reems Entertainment

We Celebrate the founders of Reems Entertainment, an all female owned marketing company with the goal of helping to nurture and market talented Sierra Leonean musicians and artists to a global platform. WCA sat with the ladies of the company for an interview:

WCA: Our theme
this year is African Women Build and as a young African woman on the
continent it is exciting to see you building your marketing company Reems
Entertainment, tell us a bit about why you decided to launch this business?

RE: We decided to
launch this business because in a country like ours, there is a need for
professional marketers and we deem it fit to have a company, where it’s an all-female
marketing/entertainment company to push what we know and what we have passion
for. Our company is the only all-female marketing/entertainment
company in Sierra Leone. Our CEO happens to be a Celebrity whose background is
in Psychology who gets to meet people every day and has met so many people in
different business, and was a quick like in Sierra Leone, while the other
partner’s background is in Accounting and Business Management, making it a
really good blend, making the decision to collaborate very easy. Marketing is dealing with people; customer
service is our priority and we stand for what we believe in. A marketing
company was simply the easiest business that we can all do, matching our
strengths and skills.

WCA: What
inspired you to target artists in Sierra Leone?

RE: As mentioned
earlier, being a celebrity and dealing with entertainers’ day in and day out, was
the major reason. I know what we are lacking and what we are lacking is
branding/Marketing. We do have talents; however, we don’t know how to execute,
we don’t have really good teams to help us in Sierra Leone. A lot of these
artists, only go to the studio and sing, but doesn’t really know what being a
star comes with, which also builds the frustrations, as it feels that they
don’t grow at all. After the Branding Master Class, I myself learned a lot and
basically thought, the first step to dealing with these artists is to teach
them, how to brand and market themselves. A lot of the know are experienced and
know what It takes but majority doesn’t. They don’t understand branding and
that it comes with being a celebrity. So therefore, teaching them will be the
ultimate first step and everything else will follow.

WCA: What are the
some of the challenges you experience as women entrepreneurs in a male
dominated field as music?

RE: A major challenge
is the fact that they don’t believe in it, collectively as a society we sometimes have this idea that women
together are a disaster, so we get to hear, this company is not going to last,
because women fight all the time and there is no future in an all female
business. As much as we are proud to say that we are an all-female company, we
also get to hear, where are the men? Without a man, it will be hard for it to
succeed. Our vision, mission and goal, gives us the strength and we know we are
in it to win it, whatever they can do we can also do better.

WCA: How do you
infuse culture with your work?

RE: By respecting
each other, being able to speak up when need be, every one knows their roles
and responsibilities, we try to make work a safe, fun and healthy environment.

WCA: What has been your greatest success to date
what is your goal for Sierra Leonean music through Reems?

RE: Our major success
is since the signing of Empress Pee a Sierra Leonean female artist, who is now recognized as one of the best
female rappers in Sierra Leone. Our goal, is for Sierra Leone music to be heard
across the continent, and then the world, and for our videos to be played in
major countries, because visuals sell, and our superstars need to being
recognized.

WCA: What is your
vision for Reems Entertainment in the next 5 years?

RE: To make Reems one
the biggest marketing, branding and entertainment companies in Sierra Leone.

WCA: Any advice
for women entrepreneurs and artists starting out in this industry?

RE: Believe in your
dreams, collaborate with other women who has the same aim and vision as you. Don’t
take no for an answer, go for what you want and most importantly put God first. Last but not least, remember that hard work does pay off.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Moiyattu Banya is Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Women|Change|Africa. She has over 10 years plus experience on working on women and gender issues both on the African continent and in the diaspora and has lead digital campaigns, and communication strategies for a multiple of women owned brands and organizations. Out of her passion to tell stories both in the digital space and in writing, she created WCA in 2012. The platform has celebrated over 50+ brands, companies and organizations owned by African women living both in the diaspora and on the continent. In 2014 she was selected out of 200 women to participate in the African Women’s Development Fund Creative Non Fiction Writing Course in Entebbe Uganda an experience that forever changed her writing journey. She is a social entrepreneur by training and has a masters in social enterprise and administration from Columbia University’s School of Social work.

Women| Change| Africa is an African women’s media lifestyle brand, that celebrates, cultivates and connects brands, companies and organizations owned by African women entrepreneurs, professionals, and thought leaders. 2012 WCA has curated high quality, inspiring stories of over 50+ African women owned brands, companies and businesses and partnered with over 20+ women owned brands. WCA has been featured on various media outlets including Radio France International, Afroelle Magazine, True Africa and Elle Magazine South Africa.